Why are programs from .msi files not installed? Windows installer doesn't work. Reasons why programs are not installed and launched The installer does not start
Windows installer error is one of the most common pop-up problems encountered by users of the Windows operating system.
The error may appear regardless of your OS version.
Reasons for the error
You can scan the OS using the Sfc /scannow command. You need to enter it into the command line window.
You can also launch the command line in two other ways:
- Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt.
- Start -> Run and enter the program name cmd.exe
In a few minutes you will be provided with detailed information about OS disks, corrupted files, problems with services and other system programs.
The command line will not only find corrupted and corrupted files, but also replace them with functional ones.
After scanning, close the command prompt and restart your personal computer or laptop. Try running the installation process of any executable file.
Microsoft also offers users an automatic utility that can solve the problem with the installer.
Go to the web address of the company's official website https://support.microsoft.com/ru-ru/mats/program_install_and_uninstall
In the window that opens, click on the “Run now” button. The utility will restore the correct configuration of the installer.
It is worth noting that the utility does not work with the eighth version of the operating system.
Configuring installer access to msi files
The installation problem may be caused by the installer not having access to msi files. The user can resolve this problem independently.
Follow the instructions below:
- Find your installation file and right-click on it;
- Select the properties window;
- Go to the security settings tab;
- In the groups or users text box, check to see if there is a user named "system". If it is not there, you need to add the user manually;
- To add a new user, click on the Edit button and then on the Add button;
- In the text field for the names of the selected object, write the word “system” (without quotes). If you are using the English version of the operating system, enter the word System;
- The entered word should instantly become underlined, as shown in the figure below;
- Check the box next to Full access and now click on the OK button;
The installer will now be able to access the executable file. The installation should complete without problems.
Please note that in some cases antivirus software may block access to the installation file.
To solve this problem, you need to log into the operating system under an administrator account, turn off the antivirus and enable compatibility with other OS versions in the antivirus properties settings, as shown in the figure below.
Windows Installer Error - Troubleshooting
There are a huge number of reasons why programs installed on a computer suddenly stop working or start running altogether. Unfortunately, many of them are of an extremely specific nature, associated with certain software and technical nuances of each individual application and require an exclusive approach from the user to resolve the issue of restoring their functionality.
However, there are many common reasons that arise quite often, and by eliminating them, you can easily restore the operation of most software. We want to offer such truly effective universal solutions to our users in the instructions below.
So, if any program installed on your computer has stopped working or starting, you need...
Check technical requirements (System Requirements)
Before downloading and using any program, always carefully check the technical requirements for each program on the official website of the software developer. At the same time, be sure to keep in mind that such tech. There are two types of requirements: minimum (guarantee that the program will run on your machine, but do not guarantee that it will function quickly and fully) And recommended.
Those who download software from our website mydiv.net should note that information on technical requirements is located on the main page of each program in the tab "Requirements"(see screenshot).
Studying tech. requirements of each application, pay attention to the following nuances, especially if you have problems not with “household” software, but with specialized utilities ( for example, the program for setting up, testing and overclocking any hardware or other professional applications does not start / does not work):
- Processor power, its brand, model and other additional parameters (for example: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650, 3GHz).
- RAM capacity, its brand, type, bus frequency, etc. (for example: Corsair DDR3 2048MB, 1333MHz).
- Video card parameters: brand, model, integrated (built-in) or discrete (external), volume and type of video memory, etc. (for example: AMD Radeon HD 7770, 1GB GDDR5).
- Hard drive: be sure to check the amount of free space required to install the program + additional space for storing temporary and files created in this program, as well as: brand, model, type (external or internal), type (SSD, HDD or SSHD) and other tech. hard drive parameters.
- Sound card. Carefully check all the requirements for the sound device: brand, model, type (internal or external), etc. This is especially necessary for launching and using specialized programs for setting up and testing sound cards, audio editors, converters, etc.
- Operating system requirements: Be sure to check the OS version, its build number, requirements for the presence of installed service packs, the bit depth of the operating system, etc. (for example: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 x64 or Windows 10 Build 10547).
- Additional software. In addition to the hardware requirements necessary to launch and operate programs, there are also “software requirements” for the software. That is, for the normal functioning of any application, the mandatory installation of additional technical software may be required. Here is a list of what you definitely need to install on your computer and update periodically to keep the installed version up to date:
- Microsoft DirectX. A set of libraries and tools necessary for processing and reproducing computer graphics.
- K-Lite Codec Pack or Advaced Codecs. Sets of multimedia codecs necessary for playing audio and video on a computer. They are also often used by specialized programs for editing and converting audio and video.
- Adobe Flash Player. A browser add-on program that allows you to play videos on the Internet.
- Microsoft Visual C++. A set of libraries and plugins necessary for the operation of many computer programs (including video games) written in C++ or C#.
- Microsoft .NET Framework. Required for programs and games written using .NET technology.
- Java JRE. Required for running programs created using the Java language.
For other software requirements, check on the official websites of program developers! By carefully studying all the hardware and software requirements, you will immediately understand whether your computer can handle the required program or not!
Update/reinstall drivers
The driver is the most important technical program on which the normal operation of all devices connected to the computer (processor, video card, sound card and other devices), as well as the operating system itself and all software installed on it, 100% depends. Agree, if you have any problems with the webcam driver, then you are unlikely to be able to use a program for recording from a webcam or make a video call on Skype. Another option... For example, if you do not have a sound card driver installed on your computer (or it has started to conflict), then your media player will definitely show “silent movies”, and you can also forget about working in audio editors/converters. Therefore, it is quite obvious that you need to carefully monitor the drivers and update them on time!
Complete uninstallation and reinstallation of broken programs
Indeed, this method can really work. Applications that fail or do not start at all should be removed from the system and reinstalled. To correctly remove programs from the operating system, it is best to use specialized applications "uninstallers". For these purposes, we recommend using Revo Uninstaller. Detailed instructions on how to how to properly reinstall programs on your computer and use Revo Uninstaller, can be read in.
However, the programs uninstallers To date, a lot has been created. If the above program does not suit you in any way, then you can choose any other application you like from this set of programs.
Complete system cleaning with cleaning programs
This method is also quite justified, especially as a preventative against program failures in the future. Remember! The less “garbage” that accumulates in the operating system, the more stable it and all the software installed on it will work!
To perform tasks of this kind, it is best to use special programs - “cleaners”. The best of them, undoubtedly, is CCleaner. How to use CCleaner and completely clean the system , it is written in detail. For those who would like to use this program on an ongoing basis in the future, we recommend another thematic guide "".
However, there are also quite a lot of cleaning programs on the modern computer market. If the need arises, you can easily select any other program to clean the operating system by looking at this set of “Programs for cleaning the operating system”.
Removing programs from startup (autorun)
Programs that are in autorun always automatically start along with the operating system and continue to hang in the background in the future. Without a doubt, many of them may well conflict with other applications running/running on the PC, as well as greatly slow down the system and even often lead to crashes! Try removing all unnecessary applications from startup and, quite possibly, the programs you need will start launching and working normally again.
You can clear startup from unnecessary objects in different ways, either manually (via the service msconfig), and with the help of specialized utilities, for example, the same CCleaner. You can read more about how to edit autorun in the manual " ".
Cleaning computers from viruses
Malware can also be the real reason why certain programs on a computer may not work or start, since viruses can easily damage, delete and block working program files. Therefore, we recommend that all users acquire a serious antivirus and thoroughly scan the system!
You can select suitable anti-virus programs here (these sets contain the best, including free anti-virus applications of various types):
Additional antivirus software, you can search on mydiv.net in other sets of programs in the "Security" section.
Read carefully in these guides about how to use antiviruses and thoroughly clean your computer from various malware:
Add exceptions to antivirus
As you know, there are no ideal antiviruses. Many of them often suffer from false positives. At any moment, an antivirus can easily delete files of any program that it “doesn’t like” from your computer or block their execution. Accordingly, these programs will immediately stop working or start altogether.
To avoid such unpleasant situations, you need to use the function "Exceptions", available in almost every normal antivirus. Please note! You can add only those files and folders that you consider 100% safe to exceptions!
To learn how to correctly create exceptions in antiviruses, read these guides:
- " ",
Run programs as administrator and disable UAC
UAC- a Windows user account control system created to control the delimitation of user access rights to operating system functions and prevent unauthorized launch of various applications in the “background” mode.
Only the administrator has elevated privileges in the system. And only it can run many system services and applications installed on the computer! Therefore, if any program does not start for you, try restarting it with administrative rights. At the same time, you can turn off the system UAC so as not to interfere in the future.
You can read more about how this is done in the manual " ".
Various network problems...
Here you will find solutions to the most common network problems that cause many programs installed on your computer to stop working or starting.
Prescribing Google DNS
Many programs require a constant and stable Internet connection to launch and work, with which most of our providers often have serious problems. One of the most common problems is DNS server failures. So, if your router detects the presence of a connection, but for some unknown reason the pages in the browser do not load, it is quite possible that the provider has some problems with the DNS servers. To fix the problem, you need to set it in the network card settings alternative DNS servers from Google.
It's done like this. Click on the network icon (in the lower right corner of the screen) and open "Network and Sharing Center".
In the menu that opens, select the option "Change adapter settings" and you will be taken to the section "Network connections".
In this section, select "LAN connection" or "Wireless network connection"(if you get internet via Wi-Fi). Right-click on the selected object and select "Properties".
In the properties of the network card, select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" by double-clicking on it. In the network protocol properties that open, enter the following numbers: "Preferred DNS Server" - 8.8.8.8, "Alternate DNS server"- 8.8.4.4. Then, to confirm the operation, press "OK".
As an alternative, you can do this. In the "preferred server" column, write IP address of your router(usually: 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 ), and in the “alternative” - already Google’s DNS.
After this, if the problem was with the DNS servers, the pages in the browser begin to open normally, and the operation of many programs that require an Internet connection returns to normal.
Adding programs to antivirus network exceptions
As mentioned earlier, in one of the instructions described above, many modern antiviruses are far from ideal and often upset users with false positives. At their “purely personal” discretion, they can easily block all network activity of any programs running/running on the computer. It’s not hard to guess where this will lead! There is only one way to deal with this - add programs and processes running in the system to exceptions Many Windows applications (for example, Windows Live Mail and Skype, etc.) are directly connected to the Internet Explorer browser. That is, simply, they use its engine. Because of this (in some situations) offline mode this browser may cause problems with online applications. If, for example, your mail in Windows Live Mail is not restored or you cannot log into Skype (a white or blue screen is shown without fields for entering your login/password) and other similar problems with previously normally working software, you may need disable offline mode in Internet Explorer. It's done like this. Launch Internet Explorer. Press the key "ALT" to display the browser control panel. Open the tab "File" and remove the checkbox from the item "Work autonomously"(also, this option can be located in the tab "Service"). However, please note that in new versions of the IE browser, there is no such option in the control panel, and you can disable offline mode only through editing the registry! This is done as follows. Open menu "Start" and in the search bar type the command: regedit. Click left. click on the shortcut that appears at the top regedit.exe to launch Registry Editor. Next, find the branch in the registry: HKEY+CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings. After this, double-click on the parameter with the left mouse button "GlobalUserOffline" and in the window that opens, set the value - 0
. If you find such a parameter in the registry, then you definitely need to create it! Right-click in the right window of the Registry Editor and select the option "Create", and then "DWORD value". After all operations are completed, IE's offline mode will be disabled and the functionality of the programs you need should be restored. This concludes this guide. As far as possible, we have presented you with all the fastest and most effective methods for solving common problems related to the launch and operation of software. Try using the most suitable ones and, most likely, your programs will work again!Turn off offline work in Internet Explorer
It happens that some programs in Windows 7 doesn't want to install, or The installed program does not want to start. This happens not because the program cannot run on this OS, but simply that the programmers who wrote the program did a version check Windows.
IN Windows 7 such a situation is provided for and a method is added run programs in compatibility mode with an earlier version of Windows. This is not to say that this method always works 100%. And the whole point depends on what OS capabilities the program uses. And if such a program uses certain unique capabilities that are unique to previous version operating system, in this case Compatibility Mode will not help. But in practice, such programs are not found very often, so if a problem arises, you should try using the method run in compatibility mode.
For start compatibility mode program or installation, if it does not want to be installed, you should open program properties. Right-click on the icon of the program or file being installed and select “Properties”.
In the window that opens, go to the "Compatibility" tab, check the box "Run the program in compatibility mode for:"
and open the menu to select the version Windows. I must say that the list of OS choices is quite extensive, starting with Windows 95 and up to Windows Vista SP2.
Here you can also choose Extra options for start. And if the program was written a long time ago, for very early versions Windows, you can try a limited set of colors (“Use 256 colors”), and also run in a small window with a resolution of 640 x 480. Some programs may not work with modern desktop styles, for them you should check the “Disable visual design” and “ Disable desktop composition."
Check the "Disable scaling at high resolution" option if the font in the program window is very small or, on the contrary, large. You can also check the box here to run the program as an administrator.
If you are not sure about your choice compatibility mode programs you can use a tool for troubleshooting program compatibility issues For diagnostics And preventing computer problems. To launch it, open the Control Panel and click on the "Troubleshoot" item. In the window that opens, find the “Programs” item and click the line below.
Errors when installing applications from files with the .msi extension are one of the manifestations of problems with the Windows Installer service (in the Russian version, the Windows Installer). Users of all versions of this OS, with the exception of the earliest ones, encounter a similar phenomenon. Until now, the problem with the installer is one of the common reasons why users decide to reinstall the system. Let's try to figure out how to avoid this. The reason that Windows Installer does not work may be the following:
- viral infection, and removing the virus does not always solve the problem;
- incorrect installation of Windows updates;
- a malfunction of the security software when, instead of blocking one suspicious msi file, the installation service is blocked entirely;
- changes in computer security policies;
- Damage to system files or the registry for reasons not related to viruses (removal of installer components, unqualified editing of the registry, crooked software, hard drive failure, etc.).
Checking the integrity of the Windows Installer structure
The Windows Installer consists of the following components:- file C:\Windows\System32\Msiexec.exe - directly by the installer application itself;
- file C:\Windows\System32\msi.dll - Windows Installer library;
- Msiserver service, whose settings are stored in the registry key.
If the files are missing, copy them from another system of the same version or from the installation disk. If the registry key is missing or damaged, also transfer it from the working system. To do this, on a working computer, run the registry editor (C:\Windows\Regedt.exe) and find the above section. 
Right-click the context menu of the msiserver folder and click "Export". Save the file in .reg format and transfer it to the problem machine. 
Double-click this file and agree to add data to the registry. Restart your computer. 
If the Msiserver service still does not start, check that the RPC (Remote Procedure Call) service on which it depends is running. 
You can re-register the installer files and restart the service using a set of special commands on the command line. For convenience, you can create a batch file: paste a set of actions into Notepad and save it as a .bat extension. To launch a file, simply double-click on it. For the changes to take effect, click on the desktop and press F5. Checking security settings and access rights
Windows Installer may not work because it is blocked by security software or the operating system does not have the necessary rights. First, let's look at the software. If you have an antivirus installed, temporarily disable it. Each product has its own methods of disabling, but most often this is done through the context menu of the antivirus icon in the system tray. Now let's take care of the rights. Open the context menu of Msiexec.exe and expand its properties.
View the list of groups and users on the Security tab. Among them must be “System” and the “Trustedinstaller” service, and the latter must have full access to the file and be its owner. The system must have "read" and "read and execute" permissions. 
The Trustedinstaller service was first introduced in Windows Vista, so in Windows XP full access must be granted to the system. Everything written below applies to versions released later than XP. To check who owns Msiexec.exe, click the "Advanced" button on the same tab. 
In the next window, expand the "Owner" tab. Set the owner to the Trustedinstaller service if something else is specified as the owner. If it is not in the "Change owner to" list, click the "Change" button, and then click "Other users and groups." 
Enter Trustedinstaller in the "Enter names..." field, click "Check names" and OK. Return to the previous window. On the "Effective Permissions" tab, assign the necessary rights to Trustedinstaller and the system. 
The msi.dll library should have exactly the same security settings. Now let's check if there are any restrictions for the "System" user to access the following: - system drive (usually drive C);
- temporary folders (these are C:\Windows\Temp and C:\Users\Current_User\AppData\Temp);
- folder C:\Config.Msi;
- the folder where the msi file from which you are trying to install the program is located.
Windows 7, despite the release of newer operating systems of this family, still remains one of the most popular and in demand among users around the world, due to its versatility. But, as it turns out, it is not always possible to use some applications installed by the user. Most often, such situations appear at the installation stage. But why on Windows 7 which, in theory, should work in it without any problems? There are many reasons for this, which will be discussed further. But only the most basic and most common problems are offered for consideration, since it is simply impossible to cover them all, especially if we take into account each specific case of failures and errors.
Why programs are not installed on Windows 7: main reasons
First, let's look at the reasons that cause errors to appear at the very beginning of the installation. Among them, the most important aspects are the following:
- the user does not have the necessary rights;
- blocking installation by antiviruses and firewalls;
- mismatch between the system architecture and the installed software;
- outdated or unsupported hardware and drivers for it;
- incomplete distribution builds and missing important operating system files;
- outdated additional platforms;
- residual components of earlier versions of installed applications;
- compatibility issues;
- MSI file corruption and errors;
- exposure to viruses.
Of course, the above list cannot be called absolutely complete and reflects all possible situations, however, for the most part, these are the reasons that prevent the normal installation of software, among which the leading positions belong to modern computer games and applications for working with multimedia.
Troubleshooting Windows Installer errors for Windows 7 at the beginning of installation
To eliminate possible failures and errors, let's start with the simplest thing - whether the user has the necessary rights to install a program. It is no secret that it was in the seventh modification of Windows that the so-called super administrator first appeared with a hidden but constantly active account, which as a user has much more access rights to change system parameters than any other user registered in the system, even from the administrator group. And any program, as you know, except for portable versions, just changes some system options, for example, registering its own dynamic libraries or creating its own keys in the system registry, for which you need to obtain the appropriate permission. And if you add here UAC User Account Control, it seems that the average user has no privileges at all.
However, if the Windows Installer for Windows 7 immediately after starting the installation gives an error, you can correct the situation quite simply by running the installer as an administrator through the RMB menu on the selected object. After this, the error may disappear. But you shouldn’t rely only on this option.
Problems with security software
Now let’s assume that the installers are launched with the necessary rights, but the programs are still not installed on Windows 7. What to do? First, you should read the installation conditions if you are not trying to install the official version of the application, but are using some kind of hacked or custom repack.
While this may equally apply to some versions of legitimate software, it is sometimes recommended to disable real-time antivirus protection while the installation is running, especially if you have a free antivirus like Avast installed on your computer. In principle, similar actions can be performed with the Windows firewall, but in most cases this is not necessary.
System capacity
Now a few words about another situation when programs are not installed on Windows 7. The installer error may appear again and again if your operating system has a different architecture than the one that the installed application is intended to use.
In the computer properties via RMB, look at a brief description of the system used. If you have Windows 7 x64, there should be no problems, since both 64- and 32-bit programs can be installed on this system. But on the contrary - no way.
Hardware, drivers and system updates
Sometimes you can encounter problems with the hardware installed on the computer, for example, processors that do not support x64 architecture. But, since this is very rare today, the appearance of conflicts, if programs are not installed on Windows 7 under any pretext, is associated with incorrect installation of drivers, their absence or obsolescence. The fact that the system itself can choose the most suitable driver for a certain device (as it seems to it) does not mean at all that the equipment running such software will work without failures. In this case, you should install exclusively “native” (preferably updated) drivers, downloading them, for example, from the official website of the device manufacturer.
To automate such processes, you can use special driver update programs like Driver Booster, which find the latest versions of control software with the desired architecture and integrate them into the system without user intervention.
If the required driver is not found, in the “Device Manager”, which can be called through additional system parameters and the hardware tab, “Control Panel” or the “Run” console by entering the command devmgmt.msc, you should use the information tab and after selecting the ID display equipment from the list, copy the longest line containing the VEN and DEV identifiers, and then use it to search for a driver, download it and install it yourself. Also, after saving it on your hard drive or external storage device, you can instruct the system to install from the selected location.
Often, modern software products also involve installing the latest updates for the operating system itself.
If such packages were not found and integrated into the system automatically, you can use the Update Center to manually search for them and then install them after the download is complete.
Unofficial app builds and missing libraries
Sometimes programs on Windows 7 are not installed because some unofficial (usually stripped-down) repack is used, which may be missing important files of the application being installed. In this case, it is better not to experiment, but to find the official release of the program. But it also happens that the system itself does not have the necessary dynamic libraries that are necessary for the application to work correctly. Some people advise downloading the missing components yourself, then placing them in the System32 folder, and then registering them using the regsvr32 tool. The matter, I must say, is quite tedious.
So isn’t it easier to use a special DLL Suite utility that can automatically detect missing or damaged libraries and download them from the Internet?
Incorrectly installed and outdated additional platforms
If we talk specifically about games and multimedia, any system must have special additional platforms installed, without which no such program will simply work. Among them there are three main ones:
- DirectX;
- .NET Framework;
- Visual C++ Redistributable.
The problem here is that if for the first two platforms you can find and install the latest versions directly from the official Microsoft website, then the version of the third component, for example, for somewhat outdated games, does not necessarily have to be the latest. In general, the installer must initially contain a tool that installs the required platform modification, but if the installer itself is broken, this component will have to be integrated into the system yourself.
For multimedia, if the user is dealing with programs developed by Apple that have been adapted for Windows 7 x64 or x86, the installation of additional components may also be required. Most often, the QuickTime platform is required.
Remains of deleted old versions of programs
Another reason that programs do not install on Windows 7 may be due to remnants from earlier versions of applications that were removed. As you know, careful and complete removal of installed programs is one of the weakest points of all systems of this family. But often at the end of such processes you can find a huge number of residual components in the form of files, directories and registry keys. Therefore, to remove applications as completely as possible, it is better to use automated uninstaller programs (for example, iObit Uninstaller) or clean the system using optimizers (CCleaner, Advanced SystemCare, etc.).
Using Compatibility Mode
But some outdated applications (or even their installation), which work without problems in earlier versions of Windows, are sometimes advisable to run using the so-called compatibility mode.
In Windows 7, in this case, the installer or installed application will recognize the OS not as the seventh version, but as an earlier modification. Please note that upgrading the system version is not provided, that is, in the seventh modification there is no compatibility with Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 at all (although theoretically all four systems can ensure the correct operation of the same program). You can select the desired mode through the properties of the file being launched, using the properties item and the corresponding tab on which the required version of the operating system is selected from the list.
Corrupt installer files and service problems
Finally, one of the most common installation problems involves damage to the installer itself. This may be partially due to incomplete loading of distributions or installation files packaged in archives; sometimes the built-in Windows installer itself may not work correctly, etc.
In the first case, you just need to re-download the content, in the second, use the services section (services.msc), stop the Windows Installer service, restart the computer device and turn it on again if activation does not happen automatically.
Viral impact
Finally, the real scourge of all Windows systems is virus applets. They penetrate the system in various ways, affecting its important components, but most often such threats can be found on all kinds of torrent trackers. Therefore, after downloading files from such Internet resources, they must immediately be checked with some kind of portable scanner. But even here it should be clearly understood that not all modern viruses can be detected by anti-virus scanners. Some of them (for example, advertising applets called browser hijackers) can disguise themselves as official affiliate programs and penetrate the system completely legally.